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Twenty New Reservoirs for Kazakhstan

The Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has announced plans to build 20 new reservoirs with a capacity of 2.5 billion cubic meters by 2030. During the first stage, ten reservoirs will be constructed in the regions of Akmola, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda and Zhetisu, and in the south, two more reservoirs will complement that of Kensai-Koskorgan-2 , already in operation in the Turkestan region. The installation of eight new reservoirs will then follow elsewhere. Once completed, the project will reduce the country's dependence on water flowing from upstream Kyrgyzstan and China by 25%, help combat drought in southern Kazakhstan and conversely, reduce the threat of flooding in 70 rural settlements with a total population of 137 thousand people. In addition, irrigation will be provided for a further 250 thousand hectares of farmland. Plans are also in place to reconstruct 15 existing reservoirs with a total capacity of 1.9 billion cubic meters, with work on six reservoirs in Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Kostanay, Turkestan regions and the city of Astana, scheduled to start this year.

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Kazakhstan’s Production of Gas Set to Soar

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy, the country’s production of natural gas which has been has steadily growing in recent years, is expected to reach 60.456 billion m3 in 2024. More than 85% of natural gas in Kazakhstan is produced by the Tengiz (27%), Karachaganak (38%) and Kashagan (20%) projects. In 2023, natural gas production in Kazakhstan totaled 59.063 billion m3, including 16.009 billion m3 at Tengiz, 22.385 billion m3 at Karachaganak, and 11.856 billion m3 at Kashagan. Domestic consumption in 2024 is intended to reach 20.9 billion m3.

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Azerbaijan and Armenia to Hold Talks in Kazakhstan

Officials in Baku have agreed to a meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Kazakhstan. Azeri president Ilham Aliyev stated as much at a meeting with participants of the international forum "COP29 and a Green Vision for Azerbaijan" held at ADA University, Turan.az reports. Aliyev said that if Yerevan gives reciprocal consent, their next talks will be held in Astana. He reminded the audience of the previously concluded Madrid Principles, which were first proposed in 2007. "We have a common understanding of how the peace agreement should look like. We just need to work out the details. However, of course, both sides need time. Now there is a unique chance. When the USSR collapsed there were wars in our region, unlike the Baltic States, which started their independent life peacefully. Now we have this chance. I think COP29 is a great opportunity for this," Aliyev said. On April 15 Kazakhstan's president Kasym-Jomart Tokayev paid an official visit to Armenia. Tokayev called on Yerevan and Baku to settle the conflict through negotiations, and he suggested Kazakhstan as the location for hosting the dialog. Tokayev himself spent years as a diplomat, and Kazakhstan seems to be positioning itself as an international mediator, aiming to be recognized as a significant diplomatic player on the world stage. Member of the Kazakhstan Institute for Social Development, Yernar Kushaliyev commented: "Kazakhstan pursues a multi-vector foreign policy, which allows it to effectively interact with various global powers and regional actors. Kazakhstan has a unique potential to play the role of the main mediator in the Eurasian region, especially in the settlement of disputes between states. The country maintains a neutral position, not participating in military conflicts, which creates favorable prerequisites for mediation and diplomacy. This position strengthens confidence in Kazakhstan as a reliable mediator and organizer of peace negotiations". Kushaliyev stresses that, in the context of the current negotiations, the military situation is not developing in Armenia's favor. "Azerbaijan, in its turn, has successfully implemented a number of strategic and tactical tasks in Nagorno-Karabakh, strengthening its positions. As a result of these circumstances, it seems likely that both sides will be able to come to constructive agreements and demarcate their borders during the negotiations to be held in Astana," he said.

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Kazakhstan Encourages Ethnic Kazakhs to Return to Historical Homeland

According to the Kazakh Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population, from January -April this year, 4,351 ethnic Kazakhs returned to their historical homeland and received repatriate status. Since 1991, 1,132,700 ethnic Kazakhs have returned to the country. From 2023, a pilot scheme, to assign repatriate status based on the “one window” principle through the embassies of Kazakhstan abroad has accepted applications from 7,518 ethnic Kazakhs. Amongst this this year’s repatriates, 51.1% arrived from China; 31.9% from Uzbekistan; 6.4% from Turkmenistan; 5.4% from Mongolia; 3.7% from Russia, and 1.5% from elsewhere. Those of working age made up 59.1%, minors, 31.7%, and retired people, 9.2%. Repatriates are resettled by the government in labour-scarce regions in the north and east of the country including Akmola, Abay, Kostanay and Pavlodar. To support their relocation, the state provides subsidies for each family member, and financial aid towards rent and payment of utility bills. The government has also introduced an economic mobility certificate for the purchase or construction of housing, and will partly cover down payment on mortgage loans of up to 50% or 4.28 million tenge per family. In addition, the government offers support to employers involved in the resettlement of repatriates in its northern regions.

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EU Provides Humanitarian Aid to Victims of Kazakhstan Floods

In response to the extensive spring floods that to date, have displaced more than 119,000 people across Kazakhstan, the European Union has pledged €200,000 in humanitarian aid to assist the worst affected families. As reported by the Delegation of the European Union to Kazakhstan, funds allocated by the EU will be channelled through the Red Crescent Society of Kazakhstan to provide essential aid in the form of household items such as mattresses and bed linen, multi-purpose cash, as well as measures and materials related to hygiene. The humanitarian aid, to be provided over the next three months, will directly benefit 5,000 individuals seriously affected by the floods, particularly female-headed households, households with disabled or elderly family members, and families with more than three children.

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Dearth of Teachers and Nurses in Kazakhstan

Based on data provided by the Electronic Labour Exchange, Enbek.kz, experts from the Centre for Human Resources Development have issued a forecast of skilled professional vacancies in Kazakhstan for the period April – December 2024. As reported by the Kazakh Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population, school teachers and skilled medical nursing staff are likely to be highest in demand. This year, the number of vacancies in Kyrgyzstan is estimated to reach 1.2 million – an increase of 8% compared to 2023 - including 364,000 in education, 105,000 in healthcare, 91,000 in other personal services, 89,000 in manufacturing, and 86,000 in both trade and agriculture. The highest demand for skilled professions in 2024 falls under ten categories: Secondary school social studies teachers, 31,000; pre-school teachers, 27,000; nursing staff, 23,000; primary school teachers, 20,000; institutional care workers, 19,000; high school natural sciences teachers, 17,000; secondary school teachers in mathematical sciences, 16,000; accountants, 15,000, and cooks, 13,000.